Wyoming governor pushes coal ports on NW trip

In the face of falling domestic demand for coal, the governor of Wyoming Matt Mead has visited Washington state campaigning for access to deep-water ports in the Northwest to allow shipment of Wyoming coal to Asia.

Mead met with the governor of Washington Jay Inslee at the state capitol in Olympia and has plans to meet with Oregon Governor Kate Brown.

Mead’s spokesman commented that the governor is lobbying for coal port access on the trip. Mead also travelled to Washington last year seeking access to ports.

The need is great for Wyoming — the nation's leading coal-producing state — to find new markets. The state Infrastructure Authority released a study in March that predicts stricter federal regulations could force a decline of up to 45% in Powder River Basin coal production by 2030.

Wyoming has been faced with fierce opposition from environmentalists and state officials in the Northwest thus far in its efforts to secure access to deep-water ports.